Quepos has been a “sleepy” little pueblo for as long as I can remember, but lately it’s waking up! And the reason can be summed up in a name…the Pez Vela Marina.

For many years Costa Rica had only one marina, the Los Sueños marina in Playa Herradura. For years there was talk of one taking shape in Playa Flamingo in the Guanacaste region. But that talk never seemed to evolve into anything concrete. Then all of a sudden the secret was that a new marina was to be built in Quepos.

Marinas are difficult things to develop in Costa Rica. The government, as well as the local population, tend to view them suspiciously. There is always the concern about the potential for negative environmental impact that marina development poses.

The locals also view marinas as a sure way to change the entire complexity of their communities, from those dominated by locals, to those taken over by gringos with the big bucks. And when that happens, the price of life tends to rise for everyone.

Nevertheless, it was inevitable for a world-wide tourist phenomenon like Costa Rica, whose very name means “rich coast”, to attract marina development. If you own a luxury yacht, why wouldn’t you want to sail it into port in Costa Rica?

So, the Marina Pez Vela did actually take shape, slowly. These days, however, the pace of its growth has definitely ratcheted up a notch or two.

My first visit to the marina several years ago didn’t impress me that much. However, a more recent visit certainly did.

The marina is now home to a wide variety of shops, restaurants and tourist venues. They’ve built a new large parking deck. There seems to be a whole lot more luxury yachts in port than I remember from before. The whole place has become alive with excitement and activity. And that has the entire community of Quepos buzzing as well.

I talked about it all with my old friend Cornelius Mesen, the marketing manager of Hotel Kamuk, the largest and one of the oldest hotels in downtown Quepos. I asked him if he’d seen much of a tourist effect from the marina. Cornelius told me that had not happened as of yet, but he envisions that great and positive change is on the not so distant horizon.

Most tourists bypass Quepos and make a b-line to Manuel Antonio, with it’s gorgeous white sand beaches, plethora of ritzy boutique hotels, and super cool restaurants, bars and shops.

These days, however, Quepos is offering more and better accommodations than in years past. Hotel and Casino Kamuk is definitely an example.

The Marina Pez Vela will surely put Quepos on the tourist map. It has long been that bustling and dirty little fishing village one had to endure before arriving to the main destination of Manuel Antonio.

However, in the future, Quepos is surely to become a noteworthy destination in its own right.

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Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.